312. Occupational stress: parallel mediation of psychological and physiological pathways from neuroticism to burnout

Abstract

Abstract Background Burnout is a debilitating consequence of chronic occupational stress, yet few studies have simultaneously examined its psychological and physiological pathways. Aims & Objectives This study tested parallel psychological and physiological mechanisms linking neuroticism to occupational burnout using self-report measures and wearable biosignal data. Method A total of 150 Korean working adults in high-stress occupations completed standardized measures of neuroticism, perceived occupational stress, and burnout. Resting-state frontal electroencephalography (EEG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) signals were collected using the Maumgyeol Basic wearable system to compute EEG indices and heart rate variability (HRV) features. Structural equation modeling, adjusting for age, evaluated parallel mediation via perceived stress and PPG-derived autonomic activity. Results Neuroticism was associated with greater perceived stress and reduced PPG-based autonomic flexibility. Perceived stress significantly predicted burnout, whereas the PPG–burnout path showed a nonsignificant negative trend. The indirect effect of neuroticism through perceived stress was significant; the physiological pathway was weaker and nonsignificant. Age was inversely associated with burnout. Discussion & Conclusions Findings identify perceived stress as the primary mediator linking neuroticism to occupational burnout and provide preliminary support for physiological dysregulation as a complementary pathway.